Fall 2019/Fall 2020 - ANTH 204 - Dr. Maria Liston 

Course Description

ANTH 204 serves as an introduction to the various topics considered across the wide field of biological anthropology. The course begins with a review of the history of evolutionary theory, beginning with the work of scientists who contributed to Charles Darwin's work on Natural Selection. It then looks at the work of Gregor Mendel and the development of modern genetics, and the various processes that drive evolution. There is a discussion of various aspects of modern human variation and the evolutionary basis for variation across the species Homo sapiens.  A survey of primates and their behaviour, and the evolution of primates is next, and the course concludes with the evolution of hominins from the first bipedal ancestors to the appearance of modern Homo sapiens. 

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Winter 2020 - ANTH 204 - Dr. Laura Bolt 

Course Description

This course is broadly divided into three sections - evolutionary biology, primatology, and human evolution – in order to provide students with a general understanding of the discipline of biological anthropology. Students will achieve the scientific literacy needed to understand the biocultural nature of human evolution and variation. The biological section of the course will begin with an overview of the scientific method, the history of evolutionary thought and the genetic basis for short and long-term evolutionary change. The primatological section of the course will focus on the biology and behavioural ecology of the primates, our closest living relatives. Finally, the human evolution section of the course will address human origins and adaptations as well as the fossil record of human evolution. The laboratory component will provide students with an experiential understanding of the material.